DHC: So this comes from my headcanon, and it ignores most of the spoilerific ending and what-have-you because DAMMIT, THE SONG. I was listening to "Ring a Bell" and...it hit me. This Idea. And I make no apologies for the shamelessness I've written. MY OTP, DAMMIT.

"Yuri, you're leaving...?" Flynn asked quietly from the doorway of Yuri's room.

The dark haired swordsman turned his gaze towards the blond. Flynn nearly winced visibly at how drawn the other's face was, how much paler he'd gotten. Yuri was pale, but now he just looked like death warmed over. His eyes looked so dull and heavy.

"I can't stay and go on like this, Flynn..." Yuri answered, his voice all but a hoarse whisper, sounding cracked and broken.

His blond companion gave a long, heavy sigh. "I know I can't stop you when you put your mind to it, Yuri..." Flynn began softly.

To that, it earned the barest upturn of the other's lips.

"Go, Yuri. You must find your own light again. ...I suppose mine was never enough." The other admonished quietly, his eyes holding the barest traces of deep, lingering sorrow and hurt in them.

Yuri crossed the short distance of the room to stop in front of Flynn and gazed at him with a remorseful glaze to his eyes. "Living in the past isn't a way to live, Flynn... There was a time, a point where things could have been... But we missed one another, and I'm sorry you've been stuck having to deal with holding onto the shards of that. I can't... I can't be happy pretending that this is how things are."

"...I know." Flynn answered quietly with a nod.

"Your heart's always been fickle and hard to figure out, but I do know that once it's set on something or is held-fast by something-or someone-then you have to listen and do what it says." The Knight let out another heavy sigh, looking sad again before he moved and brought his hands up, setting them gently on Yuri's shoulders and gave him a light push.

"...Go. Find your true light." Flynn told him.

Yuri gave a small nod, reaching up with one of his own hands to take Flynn's, clasping it for a long moment before he gave the other a weak smile. "...Thank you."

"You were never mine." Flynn answered back softly before he drew away and watched as Yuri walked back across the room, grabbing up his sword and his small pack, turning to his faithful canine companion that was still lying on the bed, waiting patiently for Yuri.

"Ready, Repede?" Yuri asked quietly, easing the window to the side of his bed open.

"Rrrff!" Repede grunted an acknowledgement and stood, hopping down and stretched, tail swishing for a moment before he moved to be beside Yuri.

The dark haired swordsman glanced back at Flynn one more time silently.

Flynn stared back, giving the other a weak smile and nodded once.

Turning back, Yuri took a deep breath and leaped out the window, Repede following right after him and the two landed below into the middle of the street. It was late at night and no one was up hardly.

Glancing once up at the window, Yuri turned and silently began running down the streets, Repede's paws rapidly pounding on the concrete as he followed after him.

Flynn watched the two go, a sorrowed, pained light glowing within the depths of his eyes. "If you reach with your entire heart, Yuri... They'll find you. I know it. Because...you are a light." He said quietly before he turned and silently exited Yuri's room, shutting the door and began making his way back to the palace.

Yuri and Repede made their way out of the lower quarter and set out at a decent pace across the plain.

Yuri did his best to avoid getting into any scuffles with the wild creatures, he knew he wasn't at his best and would not be able to fend them off well enough and he knew Repede couldn't do it on his own. They traveled three long days, only stopping every so often to eat, sleep or when Repede made Yuri take a rest when the dog knew the man was about ready to collapse.

They finally made it to Halure late afternoon of the third day. Yuri pushed the hood from his traveler's cloak back as he gazed up at the giant Halure Tree, watching as the tree scattered its petals with the gentle breeze that was blowing through. Tonight would be the festival that celebrated the Tree's blossoming.

Sighing quietly, he made his way to the Inn. He silently purchased himself a room and set what belongings he had brought with him down onto the bed before sitting down at the edge, heaving a heavy sigh. Repede padded over and butted Yuri's legs with his head and made a stern yip at him.

Yuri gave the canine a small, but pained smile as he reached over and patted the dog on the head. "Okay, Repede. You win. I'll rest a little while. You'll wake me up before dusk and the festival starts, right?"

The dog barked an affirmative and stood up on his hindlegs to put his paws on Yuri's chest and pushed him back and down.

"Alright, alright." Yuri conceded with a wry smile and a quiet chuckle as he kicked his legs up onto the bed and scooted over, moving the bag with his belongings in it to the floor beside the bed. Repede hopped up onto the other side of the bed and laid down beside Yuri against his side, curling up with a yawn.

"...Thanks, Repede." Yuri murmured sleepily, rolling onto his side as he felt Repede shift until he'd curled into the small of his back, providing the dark haired male with a sense of warmth, support, and security.

Repede whined a low note and settled down as he listened to Yuri breathe until the dog knew the human had fallen into complete slumber. The dog turned his head until he gazed out the window of the Inn, staring out at the skyline for a long moment before lowering his head and closed his eye, intending to get a little rest himself before he was to awaken Yuri.

Yuri was awakened a few hours later with Repede nudging him insistently.

"I'm up, I'm up." Yuri yawned, stretching out, only to grimace a moment later as his body gave a few pops and his now less-than-healthy form protested to the harsh treatment it received from traveling.

The dog barked at him once for good measure before hopping down off the bed and stretched as well. Yuri nodded quietly, standing up and looking out the window. "Good timing, Repede. It's sunset; the festival will be beginning soon..."

Repede made a non-committal noise in acknowledgement.

Yuri picked up his bag from where he'd set it and dug slowly into it, pulling out a spare outfit he'd brought, and another object.

He sighed. "Better take a quick bath and change." He murmured.

Yuri made his way to the bath and quickly scrubbed himself, washed his hair and came back with his hair wrapped in a towel and was squeezing as much moisture out of it as possible as he hopped around the room getting dressed. It wasn't really anything fancy. On the contrary, it was a very similar outfit to the one he'd first begun his journey on all that time ago.

He pulled it on, frowning at how it didn't quite fit him properly the way it did when he'd been in-shape and filled out. Now... He looked like a scrawny rat, and he couldn't deny the fact any longer as he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked horrible.

He sighed. Well, he'd done it to himself.

He'd thought... He'd thought he and Flynn could gain back what they'd had before everything. He had only barely realized as he'd agreed to return to Zaphias with Flynn, that he'd selfishly ignored someone's care and loyalty towards him. And when he'd realized what a mistake he'd made, and how much he was hurting, it had been too late. The other had disappeared without a trace.

Yuri opened his eyes that he'd not even noticed he'd closed to see a tear-stain glittering his cheek. He wiped it away and did his best to calm his emotions as he finished getting dressed and brushed his hair out before he grabbed the item he'd set on the bed. It was some sort of object wrapped in a silk cloth and made a 'chink'-like noise when he picked it up as if it were made of glass or something similar.

"Let's go, Repede." Yuri said slowly, squaring his shoulders back and trying to project the outward way he used to carry himself with, but it didn't reach him. It barely held superficially. It was better than nothing, it was better than walking about and looking how he felt.

Repede nodded to Yuri and the two made their way out of their room and down the stairs and exited the Inn and the two began to head through the town and up the hill towards the Great Halure Tree.

When they reached, Yuri gazed up at the giant tree, many memories flooding through him as he did so. He let out a quiet sigh before looking up towards the sky. Dusk had passed and the sky was becoming a gradual darker shade of blue as evening began to settle. The glows from the lanterns and the dulled sound of many voices speaking at once reflected back at Yuri as he gazed back down towards the town.

Gazing back to the tree, Yuri took a step forward. "Repede, keep watch." He murmured to the dog.

"Rrrrrumph!" Repede replied in affirmation.

Yuri steeled his nerves, eyes narrowing as he gazed up to one of the highest points of the tree. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he took off at top speed a moment later, dashing straight at the tree. He jumped and dashed, running and climbing his way up the tree, carefully tucking the item he had under his arm for protection.

He was vastly winded and lightheaded when he reached the top, but when he gazed out into the distance from the tree, the fatigue was forgotten and the scenery took his breath away. From down below, he could hear the beginning of the musical numbers playing.

Yuri looked down to the item in his hand and slowly brought his other over and carefully unwrapped the silk from the item. A beautiful, clear, crystal chime bell glinted from the light of the still-rising moon. His chest constricted a little as he gazed at it, but he closed his eyes and raised his head upwards just as a gentle gust of wind billowed through.

The beautiful chiming of the bell began to ring and be carried along the wind currents, just as the Halure Tree began to glow, the blossoms on the tree beginning to whorl and scatter about with the breeze as well, both the blossoms and melody entwining to be carried along in the winds.

Yuri slowly opened his eyes as he rang the bell, staring out into the distance, his heart fluttering with mixed emotions. 'Please hear me...' He thought near desperately. 'I'm so sorry. All I did was ignore you, and chase after what was in the past. I didn't even think or consider anything else...'

He poured all of himself into the ringing of the bell, sending all of his wishes and dreams with it, hoping that it would not fall upon deaf ears. "I wish you could hear me say that I miss you..." He murmured softly into the wind.

He rang the bell for ten minutes, before he could no longer; the feeling gripping him forced him to slide down the tree back to the ground and shakily began to walk back to where Repede had been sitting in vigilance. But midway, he faltered and simply collapsed to his knees, head dropping as he let out a choked noise.

Repede was by his side at an instant, making concerned whining noises.

"I... I can't, Repede... It's too dark. I'm too lost." He said, voice tight with emotion that he was trying desperately to contain.

His eyes clenched shut. He heard the sound of the wind, the fluttering of the petals scattering, and...

Suddenly there was another rush of wind, and before Yuri could open his eyes, he let out a startled gasp as suddenly warmth sank against his back and he could vividly feel the weight of another person sitting back against him.

There were only a few people that could approach him like this without Repede attacking them or warning them off with growls.

His heart was racing in his chest, his emotions were screaming at him. He was afraid to speak, he was afraid to even move. His soul was screaming loudly with all of its might in a desperate cry to reach the soul of the one sitting behind him.

Tears began to fall from Yuri's eyes and his body wracked a shudder against the figure behind him.

"Can't you see you're my other half?" He croaked out, his voice was choked and unsteady. He shook harder as he tried to reel everything back in, but he could not. His emotions were just too strong. He slumped, his hands fell slack at his sides.

A warm hand slowly covered his that held the bell. He recognized it by the feel, his body shook harder, but he was still too afraid to open his eyes or turn around.

"I've always been there when you slipped, haven't I, Yuri...?" The person inquired in a soft tone.

Yuri shuddered as the recognized voice and tone sank into his system. The hand holding his moved, and the body behind him did too, and suddenly he was standing again. He turned hesitantly, eyes still tightly clenched shut as fresh tears began to fall. He couldn't even begin to try to figure out how he was feeling.

The other's free hand cupped his cheek, Yuri near desperately taking to the warmth of it, biting on his lip. He felt so ashamed. He wanted to say so many things, and there was this fear gripping at him, telling him to run away, but nothing his body (or his mind) were telling him made a difference, he was glued to the spot he was standing.

Gently, the others hand wiped his tears away and tilted his head upwards, their voice whispering into his ear: "You'll never see the light if you keep your eyes closed."

Another shiver ran through Yuri, but slowly his eyelids fluttered as he attempted to open them.

Just as the skyline became a hazy blur, a bright burst of color illuminated the sky, soon followed by another, and another, before the entire sky was glowing with bright, beautiful colors, his eyes widened drastically as the light-show began to play out across the sky.

Yuri could only stare in a mystified trance as his eyes dilated wide with each new burst of color, his mouth opened in an 'o' of surprise as he stared in entranced wonder at the beautiful display and hearing the loud cheering from the people of the village and the music playing, but he was so acutely aware of the stare that was fixed upon him and slowly, his head turned nearly of its own accord to meet the eyes that were nearly boring holes into him.

Instantly, he felt weak and ashamed. He felt so many things passing through him; he wanted to speak, or run, but before his body and mind could decide upon anything, the other pulled him forward, enveloping their arms around him that had every ill feeling within him dissipate, rapidly being replaced by a sheer feeling of joy and happiness.

"Raven..." He whispered out as he felt his body simply melt into the other as his hand clutched at the other tightly, in fear that if he let go, they would disappear. He could not handle that.

"I've never been far." Raven murmured to Yuri.

"I-I'm sorry," Yuri choked out, feeling all of his emotions coming forth full throttle again. "I didn't realize-and I was so selfish-I just didn't-" He couldn't even finish his sentences and make sense, he was trying to convey everything at once and simply couldn't.

Raven only shook his head, that single action unlocked the shackles of weight and despair around Yuri, and when the other's lips covered his in a kiss, it unlocked the binding on his heart. He felt free. So free. It felt as if he'd been drawn completely out of the shadows and into pure light.

Raven drew away from the kiss a moment later to stare down at Yuri. "You've been my light; always pulling me through, giving me chances I never deserved... It's not much, considering I lack an actual one, but this is yours to keep."

He took Yuri's free hand and placed something in it. When Yuri looked down, it was a large, beautifully crafted ruby cut into the shape of a heart set in a pendant with a simple cord for the necklace. His eyes widened as he stared at it before he looked back up at Raven. Wordlessly, with trembling hands he brought the cord up and slipped it on over his head, fingers curling around the pendant.

"If it's anything..." Yuri began, trailing off and stopping for a moment as he struggled to breathe and find the words. "You've taken mine for your own a long time ago."

The typical grin that Yuri had fallen in love with so long ago crossed Raven's face before the man just pulled Yuri in again and kissed him once more.

When they separated a few moments later, Yuri turned, facing towards the Great Tree again and, looking back to Raven, slowly smiled before he raised their hands and began to ring the bell chime once again, its soft, melodious tune was picked up by the breeze once more and scattered with the blossoms.

The sky began to light up once again with bursts of color, laughter and cheering echoing every one from the villagers. Yuri stared up at the lights again, smile growing wider as he took in the beautiful color and light, fingers curling protectively around the pendant at his neck as he leaned into Raven.

Raven quietly chuckled, gazing up at the dazzling lights with Yuri, wrapping his arm around the smaller male in response to them leaning into him.

Repede, having been watching the two, seemed satisfied and slid down from his haunches to a passive, resting position and laid his head on his paws. Yuri was okay. He didn't need to worry for the moment.

"I'd forgotten..." Yuri began softly.

Raven looked down at him, arching a brow in silent question.

"I'd forgotten just how warm being in the light felt." Yuri said, breaking his gaze with the sky and turning his eyes to Raven, smiling again.

"...Yeah." Raven agreed. "It's pretty amazing, huh?" He gave Yuri a knowing smile in return.

"Definitely." He answered with a nod. "...Come on, let's go." Yuri slipped from Raven's hold and grabbed him by the hand and tugged at him.

"Where're we goin'?" Raven asked, his frivolous grin coming back to his expression as well as his slang.

"Anywhere." Yuri answered. "Everywhere. But first, I'm hungry. Let's get some food."

A laugh answered Yuri before an actual reply. "S'fine with me. Lead the way, Yuri."

Repede got up and slowly trailed after the two, watching as they rebonded together like perfect-fitting puzzle-pieces. Yuri was going to be fine now.

"So where should we head to from here?"

The dog snorted to himself.

This would prove to be yet another interesting adventure whenever the two decided upon where to go next...

"We totally need to head to Dahngrest, I want to drop in on Karol."

"Eh?! Why the 'ell do you wanna go see that brat fer, huh?"

"And then I want to catch up to Judith-"

"...You do realize she's probably not even anywhere near civilization, right? And we're talkin' crossing land, sea, and mountains!"

"Yeah, so?"

"You're tryin' ta kill an old man like me again, aren't ya?"

"You'll be fine. If you can run circles around the rest of us in the desert and flip and cartwheel and be chipper and go on about how us youth need to learn some endurance, you'll make it."

"You're an evil brat, ya know that?"

"I would prefer the term 'exquisitely devious', thank you. Besides, it's merely just a taste of your own medicine."

"I'm goin' ta wipe that stupid smirk off your face in a second, kid."

"Heh. Looking forward to it."

Yeah, everything was going to be just fine.

Owari

I must be a light when you're in the dark
If you lose me somewhere, and your tears are in the air
I will ring a bell until you feel me by your side